Latest news with #LightHorse
ABC News
27-04-2025
- General
- ABC News
Ex-soldiers preserve emu plume tradition on slouch hats to honour army history
Emu feathers on a slouch hat are a powerful symbol of the Australian Light Horse, and two army veterans are combining their skills so the tradition lives on. Former soldier Dale Kirkman first made a plume for his own hat more than 20 years ago and now makes up to 200 plumes each year for the slouch hats of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, veterans and re-enactment groups. "It's all about the fullness of the plume and some of the colour," he said. " The tradition was the darker the feather, the better the rider for the Light Horse. " An enduring military symbol The emu plume was made famous in World War I but has its origins in the 1890s Queensland shearers' strike when the mounted infantry were said to have plucked feathers for their hats while riding alongside emus. The plume is still worn by members of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps and is a source of pride to Captain Henry Lindsay, who is originally from Wagga Wagga. The emu plume has become a symbol of the Australian Light Horse. ( Supplied: Australian War Memorial ) "We've continued the tradition that as someone posts into the regiment and becomes part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, you don't buy your own emu plumes," Mr Lindsay said. "They're given to you by someone else for good luck. Captain Henry Lindsay was given his emu plume by a colleague for good luck. ( Supplied: Australian Defence Force ) "When I put on my slouch hat with the emu plumes, I feel quite proud. "You can feel them just on top of your hat blowing in the breeze." A careful craft The feathers are painstakingly sorted into different lengths, glued and then carefully stitched into a pouch of kangaroo leather to represent the Australian Coat of Arms. "I try to get feathers with nice tips on them," Mr Kirkman said. "I get a number of these [different sizes] put together and that allows the feather to have that layered effect, so it falls nicely over the slouch hat." Dale Kirkman has been making emu plumes for hats for 20 years. ( ABC News: Cara Jeffery ) To source the feathers, Mr Kirkman works with an army veteran and southern New South Wales emu farmer, Ian Marston. The pair met when they were both working at the Kapooka Army Training Centre in Wagga Wagga and the feathers are exchanged for farm work. Mr Marston said his emus were bred to have full, lush feathers and he was careful about their diet. "We try things all the time to see if we can improve their shine, on their feathers and their coats, as well as improve the oil and the meat flavour," Mr Marston said. Other countries farming emus The 750 emus at Mr Marston's farm produce feathers, meat, leather and decorative eggs for carving but the key product is oil, which is used in healthcare supplements, skincare and cosmetics. Ian Marston says the diverse range of emu products adds to their profitability. ( ABC News: Emily Doak ) "We get around 9.5 kilograms of fat per bird and that renders down to about 8 litres of oil," he said. Mr Marston said that oil could sell for a wholesale price of up to $80 per litre. Emu Industry of Australia president Chris Gregory said about 45 tonnes of oil were produced in Australia last year and there was growing demand in South-East Asia and in the United States. Emus might be native to Australia, but the birds have been farmed in the US since the 1970s, and in India, China and Japan since the early 2000s. Mr Gregory said much like the boom and bust seen in the Australian emu industry, production in those countries had declined to only a handful of farmers. Emus are native to Australia but are now farmed in India, China and the United States. ( ABC News: Emily Doak ) Mr Marston believes Australian emu farmers have a significant advantage over their international competitors through genetic selection of birds to produce high levels of vitamin K2-MK4, which is sought after for health benefits. "We have a little secret that most people don't realise and that is that there are five different varieties of emu," Mr Marston said. "You can have emus in America and China but they might not be the right kind of emu for our vitamin K2." Watch this story on ABC TV's Landline at 12:30pm on Sunday, or on .
ABC News
24-04-2025
- General
- ABC News
South Lismore Post Office honours diggers with Anzac Day display
Among the poppies and memorabilia adorning the walls of a northern New South Wales post office is a poem commemorating the sacrifice of soldiers who went to war to protect their country. Underneath the Turk, authored by Corporal John Thomas Nugent of the Light Horse, is featured in an Anzac Day display curated by South Lismore postmaster Tracy Ward. In a note accompanying the poem Corporal Nugent described his feelings when he wrote it in a tunnel in Turkey during the First World War. "As I sat on the bank beside a couple of blood-stained stretchers and watched the moon sink behind the jagged peaks of Imbros Island, my thoughts went with the moon and wished it were again shining upon me in the dear homeland of Australia," he wrote. Ms Ward said it was important to remember the sacrifice of soldiers such as Corporal Nugent. Tracy Ward says she wanted to honour the veterans and lift the community's spirit after a trying time. ( ABC North Coast: Cathy Adams ) "We have so many freedoms and liberties because of them," she said. "It's not just the service-people — it's the mothers that sent their sons. "It's the children that didn't know their fathers and the grandchildren that never had the chance to bounce on their grandad's knee at the end of the day because of what they gave us." Ms Ward's grandfather survived the war and the display is in part a tribute to him. "What he shared was the heart and the gratitude for being able to raise children in a free country," she said. Ms Ward says there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the display. ( ABC North Coast: Cathy Adams ) A 'poignant time' The post office display has grown steadily in the lead-up up to Anzac Day and includes uniforms, medals and a bayonet. There are shell casings engraved by soldiers in the trenches in 1914 and numerous poppies, many crocheted by locals. Ms Ward said many people had expressed their gratitude after seeing the display. "So many of our soldiers and service men have been coming in and saying thank you," she said. " One older gentleman came in and said, 'I feel like I need to salute when I come in here.' " Posters and poppies adorn the entrance to the post office. ( ABC North Coast: Cathy Adams ) The postmaster hoped to create a space where people could pay their respects to diggers, but she also wanted to channel the Anzac spirit to lift a community recovering from disaster. "Especially in light of the fact we had the issues with Cyclone Alfred earlier this year, where we all had to strip out our shops," Ms Ward said. "We all got put back in that place of distress. "There was that sentiment of … we're always losing. "In fact it was a really poignant time to bring forward that recognition of what we actually do have and how much we owe to our forebears who gave so much for us to have our freedom." Uniforms and medals are among the items on display. ( ABC North Coast: Cathy Adams ) Respect, not war City of Lismore RSL sub-branch secretary Wilson McLelland said those who had served or were still serving would be moved by the post office display. "It's a great tribute to the South Lismore community," he said. " I think it would give the old Southies a lot of pride. " Local groups crocheted poppies to raise money for ex-servicemen and women. ( ABC North Coast: Cathy Adams ) Mr McLelland said it was impressive to see people making an effort to remember the diggers. "It just emphasises the importance of the respect and remembrance that the Anzacs past and present deserve," he said. "Anzac Day is all about respect — it's not about war." As for Corporal Nugent, he did indeed live to see the moon shine on Australia and went on to become a grandfather.
ABC News
23-04-2025
- General
- ABC News
Horse riders travel 750km in the saddle to honour WWI mounted soldiers
Two men dressed as World War I soldiers have brought a piece of history on horseback to a tiny public school of 14 students. In full Light Horse uniform, riders Pat Leary and Ross Smith trotted up to the schoolyard at Gerogery Public School, on the NSW–Victoria border, capturing the attention of every student. The pair, who are members of the re-enactment group the Australian Light Horse Society, stopped in as part of a 750-kilometre commemorative ride through northern Victoria and southern New South Wales. An Australian Light Horse trooper in Egypt 1915. ( Supplied: Australian War Memorial ) The long-distance tour is part of an effort to honour and raise awareness of the Australian Light Horse. The mounted infantry soldiers were renowned for their bravery in the desert battlefields of Egypt and the Middle East during World War I, from 1914 to 1919. "This is not about glorifying war, this is about remembering the sacrifices that the guys made 100 years ago," Mr Leary said. With just 14 students, Gerogery Public School does not often get visitors such as Mr Leary and Mr Smith. Primary school teacher Madeline Curnow said the experience had added a new dimension to lessons. "They really take that moment in and really enjoy that hands-on experience of learning," she said. "Being a rural school, sometimes you miss these opportunities because we often have to travel and there are costs involved, or students might not be able to attend excursions that are away from school," she said. Madeline Curnow says the visit was a treat for students. ( ABC News: Ralph Seria ) School student Hilton Hill prepared for the visit by reading books about the Light Horse. "It was really cool to see because you've read about them and you've researched them and you finally get to see them," he said. After hearing tales of the soldiers, the children fed the horses some carrots before heading back to the classroom. "They won't remember my name, but they'll remember the day the Light Horse came to their little school … and that means that legacy doesn't die," Mr Leary said. The horses are often treated to carrots during school visits. ( ABC News: Ralph Seria ) Six weeks in the saddle Mr Leary spent six weeks in the saddle meeting with veterans and community groups in 33 towns during his journey along the Chauvel Border Light Horse Trail. A visit to the Devenish art silos. ( Supplied Facebook ) At the Devenish silo art. Supplied: Facebook At the Light Horse statue in Wagga Wagga. ( Supplied: Facebook ) The Light Horse statue in Wagga Wagga. Supplied: Facebook The riders process through Wagga Wagga. ( Supplied: Facebook ) The riders arrive in Wagga Wagga. Supplied: Facebook Ross Smith and Pat Leary at the Bill the Bastard statue at Harden. ( Supplied: Facebook ) The 'Bill the Bastard' statue at Harden. Supplied: Facebook The members of the Chauvel Anniversary Light Horse Memorial Ride 2025 in Muttama. ( Supplied: Facebook ) The riders at Muttama, near Cootamundra. Supplied: Facebook With the residents at Blakeney Lodge in Tumut. ( Supplied: Facebook ) With residents at Blakeney Lodge, Tumut. Supplied: Facebook The trail runs from Shepparton in northern Victoria, through southern New South Wales to Harden, then back to Tallangatta, linking statues, monuments, and artworks. "They're magnificent statues and they've all got a story, but they didn't seem to be getting the recognition they needed or deserved," Mr Leary said. His ride aimed to encourage people to visit landmarks and raise awareness of the Light Horse. While some might be daunted by such a long journey, Mr Leary is an endurance rider who has twice conquered the prestigious Tom Quilty Gold Cup, where competitors ride 160 kilometres in one day. "You've got to well and truly pace yourself," he said. "Try and work out a distance between each town and keep your horse physically and mentally sound, but also keep ticking over the miles." Ross Smith and Pat Leary have spent some long days in the saddle. ( ABC News: Emily Doak ) Mr Leary said he was often asked about the condition of his buttocks on the six-week journey. "It's been better, I've got a few band aids placed all over my backside and my legs but they'll get better," he said. "I'm sure those guys 100 years ago had plenty of rub marks too." Mr Leary said he was also grateful for the support of other riders who joined him for parts of the journey and the support crew who cared for the horses. "They're not following me, they're following the uniform, the pride of what is the Light Horse," he said. Watch this story on ABC TV's Landline at 12:30pm on Sunday, or on iview.
